Maute member gets 40-year jail term over Marawi siege

MANILA–A Taguig court on Friday sentenced a Maute terrorist member to a maximum of 40 years imprisonment for crimes he committed during the siege of Marawi City two years ago.

In a 36-page decision, Regional Trial Court 70 Acting Presiding Judge Felix P. Reyes found Junaid Macauyag Awal, also known as Vice Junaid, guilty of rebellion and of violating Republic Act No, 9851 or the Philippine Act on Crimes Against International Humanitarian Law, Genocide and other crimes against Humanity.

The court also ordered Away to pay PHP500,000 in fines.

Court records showed that among the witnesses against Awal was a 16-year-old female who had been taken as a “sabaya” or female captive by Awal and repeatedly raped during the siege of Marawi City.

A cousin of the victim, Marvin Etol, presented by the prosecution corroborated how they had been forced to seek refuge in different buildings as fighting started between the terrorists and government forces and at one point were forced to leave the girl at Bato Masjid.

Also taking the witness stand were police officials who were caught in the crossfire.